Now more than ever it seems the stress of daily life weighs so heavily upon our shoulders.

The truth is, today, far too many people are dealing with elevated stress levels which have an adverse affect both on one’s mental and physical health. In order to avoid mental illness and disease, regaining a sense of inner peace and calm is no longer just notion, it is an imperative.

To address this growing problem, Bed-Stuy resident Khadija Tudor has started The Khadija Hands Project, a community of natural health practitioners and healers who share one common goal: guiding you in putting you and your health first.

“We noticed an underlying problem: Women were feeling overwhelmed; they were being racked by anxiety—mainly because they were doing so much for others. The ‘others’ being children, spouses, family, their jobs,” said Tudor, who is a licensed massage therapist and an instructor in “Meditative Movement” therapy.

Tudor pointed out that by allowing stress to continually live within the body is neglect and creates a space for disease, which can show up in different ways: exhaustion, depression, colds and, in many cases, outright terminal illnesses.

“The Khadija Hands Project is about coming back to self. Sometimes it’s running; sometimes it’s walking slowly; sometimes it’s just sitting still and becoming aware of your body in relations to the environment around it,” she said.

The Khadija Hands Project does not promote a single form of therapy as a one-size-fits all solution. Instead, Tudor and her team of practitioners present a suite of services to address a variety of needs, underscoring one very critical component– the patient must be willing to do most of the work.

She’s quick to point out that the practitioners can guide the process, but that truly successful therapy comes from an understanding that the patient must consistently set aside the time for themselves to reclaim ownership of their body and practice self-care.

“The benefits of self care is a revolutionary act of wellness,” said Tudor. “Here’s what happens: You draw attention to yourself, and all of a sudden you’re breathing better; all of a sudden, the way that life comes at you is no longer an attack, but an easy flow.

“All of a sudden, you begin to reassess what type of relationships you want, because you’ve slowed yourself down and given yourself the time to decipher what’s happening in you and around you.

“This is about giving you tools to resurrect the real you– the you that is balanced.”

For more information on the Khadija Hands Project, you can visit their websites here and here. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Letter from the Editor

Launched in 2013, BK Reader (formerly The Brooklyn Reader) is an online hyperlocal daily news source reflecting the art, culture, business and lifestyle of the fastest-developing areas of Central and East Brooklyn.